


Home

by anxiety_junkie



Category: Firefly
Genre: M/M, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-07-01
Updated: 2006-07-01
Packaged: 2019-04-29 09:46:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14470020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anxiety_junkie/pseuds/anxiety_junkie
Summary: The warrants on the Tams get revoked, and now they have to decide where to go from here.





	Home

  
Author's notes: slight for Safe, Ariel and Trash –, but this is kind of AU, since in my head the BDM never happened. Nope, didn’,t happen.  


* * *

Home, Chapter 1

## Home, Chapter 1

"Mal, can you come to the bridge, please? And bring Simon with you," Wash called over the com. 

"Somethin' wrong?" Mal asked, taking the stairs two at a time. 

Wash opened his mouth to reply, but Simon's voice came from the corridor before he could. "Wash, are you okay? Are you hurt?" The doctor sounded worried, as usual. 

"Nope, doc, just a bit chi jing." He swung around in his chair to look at the two men with an almost dazed expression. "I was flipping through the current warrants posted on the cortex, and found something mighty interesting. Take a look." He pointed towards the screen on the console. Staring up at them were the Tam's warrant pictures, with two words in bold letters beneath: 'Warrants Revoked'. 

"Wo de tien a," Mal breathed, swinging around to look at Simon, who was still staring at the screen with his mouth hanging open. "What the di yu?" 

"Wo you bu yi si." Simon walked backwards from the console and fell into the copilot's chair. He sat there for a moment, his mind whirling, not realizing the other two were staring at him. When he finally did, he looked back and forth between them. "I really don't!" 

Mal leaned against the lockers and crossed his arms. "You think this is some sorta trick? A trap to get us to relax so they can get at you?" 

Simon shrugged. "I don't know what else it could be. I mean, as important as River is to them, why else would they do this? They wouldn't just give up after all this time, would they?" 

Wash held up a hand, looking confused. "Are we caring? Do we care about why? This is something to celebrate, right?" 

Before either of them could answer, a beep sounded from the console. Wash turned back around and punched a button. "Mal, there's a wave coming in...wait." He looked up at the captain. "It's a prerecorded wave." He swung around and looked at the doctor. "For Simon." 

"What?!" They both exclaimed simultaneously, staring at the pilot. Simon got up and walked back to the console as Wash brought up the signal. Suddenly, the face of a man Simon hadn't seen in over two years flashed onto the screen. 

Gabriel Tam looked older than the last time his son had seen him, and tired. There were lines around his eyes and mouth that hadn't been there before. "Son, I don't know if you will see this, but we wanted to send it anyway. Your mother and I have been trying for over a year to locate you, but with no luck, so we decided to attach it to your warrants on the cortex in the hope that one day you will run across it." He sighed and looked off-camera for a moment. "I managed to get a hearing with the military oversight committee in charge of your case and, well, the warrants have been withdrawn against you and your sister. If you want - if you can forgive us for not believing you - we'd like you to come home. Please let us know what you decide. Your mother and I miss you both very much." The cynical part of Simon's mind noticed that his father didn't look straight at the camera as he said those last words before the recording ended. 

"Well, you'd wondered what you're parents thought about what'd happened to your sister," Mal said after a moment. "It seems now we know." 

"Maybe. But did you hear what he said?" Simon crossed his arms and glared at the screen. "He said they'd been looking 'for over a year'. What about the year before that? We've been on Serenity now for over two years, what did they do when I first disappeared?" He snorted derisively. "When he had to bail me out of jail for being in a Blackout Zone, he told me that he wouldn't rescue me again if I got in trouble. What did he do, shrug his shoulders and figure 'oh well, he brought it on himself'?" He raised his head, still not looking at the other two. "I...this is too much to process right now. I have to think." He stumbled off the bridge, not seeing the concerned looks the others gave him as he left, and made his way to the one place on the ship he truly felt comfortable. 

* * *

"Doc, you okay?" Mal asked, coming into the infirmary several hours later. 

"I...I'm not sure." Simon was staring at the spotless countertop, palms flat against the surface, leaning against it. "After all this time... I don't know what to think." 

"Understandable. 'Course, now you gotta decision to make. No rush, but I'd like to know if I get to keep my medic or not." The captain grinned, taking the sting from his words. "Just remember, you two are welcome to stay, though I know it'd prob'ly be a mite easier treatin' your sister back in the Core." 

"Yes, that has to be my main consideration of course," Simon began, raising his head. Turning around to look at the captain, he saw Jayne standing outside the infirmary door. Mal turned as well to see what he was staring at, his eyebrows shooting up at the sight. 

"Just let me know, but go 'head and take a few days to think about it, if ya need to." Mal left, giving the merc a meaningful glance as he did so. 

Jayne came in just enough to lean against the doorframe and crossed his arms, a sober look on his face. "Wash tol' me - 'bout the warrants." He looked down. "Woulda liked to've heard from you first, though." 

"I know, I'm sorry, I just..." Simon ran his hands through his hair in what was for him an unusual nervous gesture. "I think I panicked a bit, and the next thing I knew, I found myself here." He quirked a smile at Jayne without much humor in it. "Fiddling with stuff." 

"Figured as much." He didn't look up, but continued to stare at the floor, avoiding Simon's eyes. "It's good though, right? That you can go home now? Back to your rich life and fancified hospital?" 

The doctor stared at him for a moment. "Is that what you think? That I'm just interested in..." He shook his head slowly. "How long have we been on this ship together, Jayne? Two years? I've stolen, lied and bled for this crew, and that includes you. Do you think I- that we would just leave, just like that? Is that what you think of me?" 

"I'm thinkin' Mal's right, ya need ta take lil' crazy-girl back and fix 'er. 'Sides, there ain't nothin' out here for you 'cept never havin' anything but protein to eat and gettin' shot at all the time, or fixin' one of us when we get shot." 

"And what about us, Jayne?" Simon asked softly, crossing his own arms in imitation of the merc's stance. "Do you think I could just forget about that? Can you just forget about that so easily?" 

Jayne finally looked up from the floor and scowled. "That were just a bit of fun, doc, and you know it." For the second time that day, Simon's mouth fell open in shock. "You do what ya gotta do. I don't need ya sneakin' into my bunk tonight, neither, since ya gotta pack an' all." Jayne stormed off, leaving Simon speechless and alone. 

Jayne stomped back to his bunk, locking the hatch behind him in case Simon followed. Sitting down on the bed, he put his head in his hands, wondering just what the hell he was going to do now. 

Because his relationship with Simon was not just 'a bit of fun', not to him. They'd been bedding each other regularly for the last five months, ever since getting drunk together one night after a job that actually went better than smooth, for once. The rest of the crew knew about them, though no one really talked about it, especially not in front of Kaylee. Though Simon had finally come out and told her he was sly, and they were even better friends now that the tension was off, no one wanted to chance hurting her feelings, certainly not Jayne. 

In public, the two men continued to snipe at each other lightly, but with the anger gone from their words. But at night - at night was a whole 'nother story. Jayne had never had such mind-blowing sex, not even with the best whores he'd ever been able to afford. There was just something about that smooth ivory skin, those soft but strong doctor hands, that pretty mouth; it did something to him, made him feel more than he ever had. 

Aw, who was he kiddin'? It wasn't just the sex, and Jayne knew it. Even before they started their - thing, their whatever, Jayne's feelings for the other man had been slowly changing. Once Simon had learned to trust that the rest of the crew wouldn't sell him and his sister out the first chance they got, he had relaxed and let those hoity-toity Core manners go, except with Jayne. Even after the Lassiter job and Simon confronted him about what he'd done on Ariel, it wasn't until about a year later that the two had managed to exchange more than a few words without fighting. 

But in that time, Jayne had come to see Simon for what he was; a man who cared so much about other people, whether he knew them or not, that he would routinely put his own safety on the line to help, even if there was nothing he could do. After another job went wrong on some dusty moon that resulted in Jayne getting shot again while protecting him, Simon had spent the night keeping the merc alive with bandages and bullets, nearly losing his own life in the process. After that, Jayne had stopped baiting the other man, and watched him instead. Which had eventually resulted in their first drunken night together five months earlier. 

He knew he wasn't good enough for Simon; the man deserved more than an almost-middle-aged merc on some le se ship on the Rim and a moon-brain sister to take care of. He deserved all the good things his parent's money could buy him, and he deserved to use that big brain in the profession he'd spent his whole life training for. And it was time Simon learned that, no matter how much it was going to hurt Jayne to make him see it. 

Asking himself what the fuck he was going to do without Simon in his life any more, he picked up Vera and started cleaning her; he needed something to do with his hands to take his mind off the pain in his middle he was feeling at the thought. 

* * *

Simon stumbled into the common area after Jayne left and almost fell down onto the couch. 'A bit of fun'?! Is that all this has been? He couldn't believe that; though they had never been a romantic couple, and even though he had yet to break his "no-kissing" rule, the way Jayne treated him when they were alone told Simon that their relationship meant more than just rutting to the other man. That maybe Jayne felt - well, stronger about him, anyway. He knew what he felt was definitely stronger that that, though he'd never let himself look at it too closely. 

Though times had been hard for Serenity's crew lately, the last five months with Jayne had been some of the happiest of Simon's life. He'd never really let himself get involved with anyone when he was younger, his studies and his own awkwardness in social situations made sure of that. He winced at the memory of his clumsy attempts at flirting with Kaylee when he first came on board. With River in such bad straights, he'd been achingly lonely his first year on the ship with no one he felt he could talk to. 

With Jayne, there had been none of that fei hua; after finally admitting to Kaylee and himself that there was little chance of them ever being together, he had found himself more and more drawn to the "man-ape" he had once despised. After that disastrous job on - what was the name of that moon? - that had almost killed them both, the two had ended up being much more comfortable with each other. Evenings started finding them drinking and playing Tall Card, though Simon could rarely hold his own doing either. In fact, the night they got together was one of the few times that Simon had ever won a game, and drank just a bit too much in celebration. 

And now Jayne wanted to pretend that it didn't mean anything to him. Simon knew what he was doing; Jayne had never been very good at hiding his motives. He was trying to push Simon away so it would hurt less if - or maybe when - he left. But the question was, did Simon want to leave? 

Mal was right about one thing; there was River to think of first and foremost. He sat back and considered his options. Yes, he could get better medical care for her than he could ever get or afford out in the Black, but doing so would put them both within the reach of the people he had stolen her from in the first place. She was getting better out here, albeit more slowly than she would in a top facility, and at least here she had a family that loved her for whom she was, not just for the prestige a beautiful genius daughter could bring to the family name. 

He sighed explosively; this wasn't a decision he could make on his own, and he knew it. It was time to go talk to River. Even broken as she was, at nearly twenty she had the right to make up her own mind. He got up from the couch to go find her, pushing the almost nauseating pain at the thought of leaving Jayne behind into the back of his mind, hoping she wouldn't pick up on it and let it influence her decision. 

* * *

A day went by; a day in which they dropped off their not-so-legal cargo and picked up some more destined for Persephone, where Badger had another job for them. A day in which Jayne had managed to avoid being in the same room with Simon completely. How the big man managed to be so sneaky he would never figure out. It was dinnertime now, though, and Simon knew that not even their current situation would keep Jayne away from the food. He was right, but had forgotten that with nine people around the same table, it was easy to ignore someone at the other end. Which was exactly what Jayne was doing, keeping his eyes on his plate and not even looking up if anyone spoke to him. 

"Well now, doc," Mal said in his lazy drawl when they were all mostly finished eating. "Seems there's a decision needs to be made. Have you thought on it?" 

River got up from the table where she was sitting next to Kaylee, came around and plopped herself in Simon's lap, and he put his arms around her. "Yes, Captain, I think we have. We've talked about it, and well," he paused for a moment, looking at River, who grinned at him. "I'm not sure going back is really a good idea. Even with my father's influence, this sudden reversal by the Alliance has me worried; I'm afraid if we did go back, they would just find another way to get to us." He looked down at the table for a moment, then back up at Mal. "If you'll allow it, we'd like to stay on Serenity. It's really become home for the both of us now, far more than Osiris ever was. I realize this may still put the crew in danger..." 

Mal waved a hand. "You let me worry about that, son. I told you already, you and lil' sis are more than welcome on my boat. 'Sides," he smirked, "ain't no other doctor that would take what I pay ya, anyways." 

Jayne was shoveling food in his mouth in his normal fashion, but stopped when Mal asked his question. He didn't look up from his plate as the other man spoke, though, and noticed his hand seemed to be shaking as he held the spoon. He then looked across the table at Simon in disbelief, suddenly realizing what the other man had said. "You mean..." he swallowed heavily. "You mean you ain't leavin'?" 

"No Jayne, we're staying right here, where we belong." Simon smiled almost shyly at him, nervously chewing on the inside of his lip. 

Jayne stared at him for a second, then jumped up out of his chair, knocking it over in the process. Coming around the table behind Mal, he grabbed Simon by the arm and jerked him up out of his chair, River moving out of the way just in time. He gently cupped Simon's face in his hand for just a moment; then leaning down, caught the other man in a fierce kiss. Kaylee gasped, covering her mouth with her hand, though the rest of the crew was silent, staring at the couple in astonishment. 

The kiss seemed to last forever and not long enough to Simon, who was dazed himself at Jayne's very sudden and public display of affection. He grasped Jayne's arms, pulling him closer and pressing himself against him, completely forgetting about the other people in the room. The kiss was wet, and sloppy, and the best he'd ever had. Jayne snaked an arm around his waist, pulling him in even tighter, and they continued to kiss each other hungrily, only breaking apart when Mal cleared his throat. 

"Per-maybe-haps y'all could take this to a bunk, so I can finish my dinner without gettin' sick?" He smirked at the two who were still staring at each other, his eyes twinkling in mischief. Zoe snorted in laughter next to him, and Wash was leering at them. 

Jayne finally tore his grey eyes away from Simon's blue ones and looked at the others around the table, seeing Book's benign smile and the open grins on Kaylee, River and Inara's faces. Keeping his arm firmly around the doctor's waist, he said, "We'll be in our bunk," and started dragging Simon out of the galley towards the crew quarters. 

Simon craned his neck to look up at him, grinning. "Our bunk? Since when?" 

"Since now, doc. Ya gotta problem with that?" 

"Does this mean you'll take down the pictures of the naked girls?" 

"Maybe," Jayne grunted, opening the hatch. "I'll think about it." 

~fin 

translations  
chi jing - startled/shocked  
wo de tien a - my god  
di yu - hell  
wo you bu yi si - I have no idea  
le se - garbage  
fei hua - nonsense 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title:   **Home, Chapter 1**  
Series Name:   **Home**  
Author:   **noandwhere**  
Details:   **Series**  |  **PG-13**  |  ***slash***  |  **16k**  |  **07/01/06**  
Characters:  Jayne, Simon  
Pairings:  Jayne/Simon  
Summary:  The warrants on the Tams get revoked, and now they have to decide where to go from here.  
Notes:  slight for Safe, Ariel and Trash  &#8211; but this is kind of AU, since in my head the BDM never happened. Nope, didn&#8217;t happen.  
  



End file.
